II

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Arc II Chapter 8

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The night was cold. Icy winds gripped the forest. The warmth of the sun had abandoned them and the temperatures fell.

The year advanced. The days grew shorter every moon, the nights longer. Summer wouldn't last forever, and the golden days of autumn approached. Winter would follow.

Lambert and his party constructed a makeshift camp to provide shelter against the elements.

A bonfire illuminated the night. The flames flickered, and their dance banished the darkness. The fire shielded them against the cold and the wild beasts.

Beasts lurked among the trees, but even they feared the fire, the fumes. They kept their distance and retreated deeper into the forest, into their dark kingdom. Even their magic brethren avoided the fire. They feared the light of civilisation.

The night was still young, and together they sat around the bonfire. They watched the fire and enjoyed a hearty meal, a bowl of hot stew. The day was long and stressful. The marching took its toll. Their empty stomachs starved for food, for meat.

Profound happiness gripped Lambert. The savoury flavour of cooked boar and delicious vegetables entered his nostrils. Boar never tasted better.

This was heaven. This was true happiness. This was what they needed.

The stew strengthened their malnourished bodies. Spoon after spoon, their strength returned.

Lambert got another helping. “Delicious as ever. Your cooking skills never disappoint, Rudolf.“

Rudolf studied his bowl. He disagreed.

His old companion wasn't much of a talker. He wasn't a man of many words and kept to himself, but exceptions proved the rule.

Rudolf frowned. “Mediocre work at best, but I guess it's ... adequate.“

“The meat quality left to be desired. The seasoning is lacking. The texture is off, but otherwise ...“

“Mediocre work.“ Their chef grumbled dissatisfied.

Lambert comforted him. “Don't be too hard on yourself. You did your best, and that's what matters.“

Rudolf thought otherwise. His mood didn't improve. “Sure.“

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...

Lambert merely nodded along. He glanced sidewards and the familiar sight of a girl greeted him. Their little princes fell already asleep, coiled up in her warm blanket like a cocoon. Nothing dared to disturb her peaceful slumber.

Their little princess visited the sweet land of dreams and cuddled her precious doll, her treasures.

The girl was pure innocence, a not an evil cookie devouring demon that feasted on their limited supplies.

Her breathing was slow, calm, barely audible in the silence of the night. If not for her tiny rising chest, she might be easily mistaken for a doll.

Her adorable cheeks and fluffy hair only added to her uncanny dolliness. Her innocence turned her into a human doll, into a cute human doll, but such was only an illusion, a mirage.

The stars stood high, and the moon smiled upon them. It was just the darkness and the flickering fire that played tricks on their mind. Nothing more, nothing to be concerned.

Their little princess was most definitely not a doll. The girl was real and not a fabrication of their vivid imagination.

Lambert grinned. Her incessant questions tried his patience, but she was just a curious child. Her world was still filled with mystery. His wasn't.

Lambert stared into the fire. He searched an answer. The wind sent wild sparks flying. “What do you think about our little princess?“

His words showed the desired effect and gained their attention. Iris, Rudolf, Michael stopped eating. They listened, and they didn't fake interest.

Michael spoke first. He was their youngest member, barely an adult. Michael lacked experience, but he was a good boy. He did his best and he learned. No adventurer ever fell from the sky. Adventurers were made, forged in the fires of battle.

“Not much, but I am glad she didn't affect our mission. No interruptions, no unnecessary distractions, which is good. Aside from reducing our supplies, the girl caused little trouble so far. We are still on time. “

Lambert nodded. He agreed.

The experienced adventurer knew, children were a constant source of hassle. They were loud, brash, curious, always where they shouldn't be. Children were annoying, but not so her. The girl behaved. She mainly kept in the background and observed, which didn't escape Lambert. Her behaviour was unusual.

Lambert folded his hands. “Iris?“

Iris clapped her hands and beamed. Her enthusiasm didn't escape them. “I find the girl adorable. She is such a lovely child, and such a curious kitten.“

“I won't forget the happiness in her eyes when I showed her my fire magic. Her eyes sparkled. They adored my flame.“

“I am sure she can't be a bad person.“

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Lambert cleared his throat. “Interesting ... observations. We will keep them in mind.“

Even after all these years, Iris was still full of surprises.

He always thought Iris detested children, but reality proved him wrong. As long as they shared her enthusiasm for magic, Iris tolerated them. Intriguing.

Lambert turned to Rudolf. “And you? What are your thoughts?“

Rudolf folded his hands, his eyes fixed on the bonfire. Fuel dwindled and the flames weakened. The fire consumed the last wood logs. Only ash and embers would remain.

“The girl is a mystery, an enigma. Her origins remain unknown, which is troublesome.“

Lambert raised his eyebrow. “Elaborate.“

Rudolf observed the fire. “Girls don't appear out of nowhere. They don't wake up in the middle of roads on roads. That's not how things work. Our little princess must come from somewhere, the question is from where.“

“I doubt she is faking her amnesia. Her memory loss seems genuine, judging by her lack of even basic knowledge. She doesn't remember names, places, locations.“

“Her pale complexion and attire suggest a wealthy background. Probably rich merchants. low-born nobles.“

“Her skin tone shows no signs of manual labour. Little exposure to sunlight. Her clothes, the fabric is high-quality, sturdy, yet soft.“

“She is certainly not some common girl, but that's all we know.“

Lambert shared his analysis. He had seen too much to still believe in coincidences.

His experience warned him and Lambert trusted his instincts, there was more to their mysterious girl than met the eye.

“Do you think she could be related to the Schwarz carriage?“

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Rudolf deliberated. “Unlikely. The attack has all the hallmarks of professionals. The attackers left nobody alive. They left no witnesses.“

“I doubt they would have spared her. I also can't imagine her escaping the slaughter.“

“The incident happened yesterday, and we found her today on the road, barely a few stadia away. That's not a hiding spot. That's nothing. They would have found her, and they would have eliminated her.“

Lambert asked for confirmation. “So you think they are unrelated?“

Rudolf nodded. “I think so.“

“I see.“ Lambert processed the new information. Rudolf had a point.

Lambert yawned. He was tired. “I think we should get some sleep. It's already late.“

“Rudolf, Michael, you take the first watch. Iris and I take the second.“

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